3 Indian fast bowlers of MS Dhoni era who never lived up to the expectations
The 16th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has already seen its fair share of drama and close finishes. So far, most of the games have gone down to the wire, making the tournament the spectacle it is today. The difference between the sides is not much which has resulted in cliffhangers, one after the other.
While newcomers have continued to make an impact in the cash-rich league, the IPL also gives an opportunity for veteran cricketers to claw their way back into the national reckoning.
While India wasn’t known for producing quality fast bowlers in the past, things have turned dramatically in the last few years. The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav have taken the Indian fast bowling set-up to a whole new level where they can be compared to the very best in the world.
Most of these fast bowlers evolved under the leadership of MS Dhoni and then went on to flourish under Virat Kohli.
Despite the resurgence of the Indian pace attack, there have been quite a few who haven’t lived up to the expectations despite having a bagful of tricks. Mohit Sharma, the player of the match against the Punjab Kings on Thursday (April 13) was one such bowler who had a great time with the ball in the IPL but couldn’t quite replicate his performances at the international level.
Mohit bowled a terrific spell and returned with figures of 2/18 in four overs to play a pivotal role in Gujarat Titans’ victory. He mixed his pace well and backed his trademark back-of-the-hand slower deliveries which yielded results.
Having said that, let us take a look at 3 Indian fast bowlers of MS Dhoni era who never lived up to the expectations
#1 Manpreet Gony
The former Chennai Super Kings speedster was a find of MS Dhoni in the earlier editions of the competition. Gony was snapped up by the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the inaugural edition of the IPL after a brilliant Ranji trophy season for Punjab.
He made an immediate impact for the yellow brigade and ended the tournament with 17 scalps to his name. He was fast tracked into the Indian squad and was named in the 2008 Asia Cup squad. He only got to play a couple of matches without making an impact. He never got a chance in the national team since.
Gony was later bought by the Deccan Chargers ahead of the 2011 season and played a few matches for the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2013.
He was one bowler who had tremendous potential but couldn’t quite make it big at the highest level. He played 44 IPL matches, picking 37 wickets.
#2 Varun Aaron
Another bowler who had the potential to make it big at the international level is Varun Aaron.
One of the fastest Indian bowlers to have played for the national team, Aaron was part of the Indian squad for a considerable amount of time but couldn’t quite cement his place owing to inconsistent performances and injuries.
Aaron played 9 Tests and as many ODIs between 2011-2015. He made a few crucial contributions with the ball but the impact was few and far between.
He was part of the Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore without playing too many games. He had a good time with the Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) and was later bought by the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2019 season. He has played 52 IPL games, picking 44 wickets in the process.
#3 Praveen Kumar
He was bought by the Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the inaugural season and played the first-ever match in IPL history.
Having made his ODI debut the previous year, Praveen was an automatic choice in the playing XI. He was a regular part of the white ball team between 2007-2012.
Praveen played 84 international matches (68 ODIs, 10 T20Is and 6 Tests), bagging 112 wickets. His last IPL match was back in 2017 when he represented the now-defunct Gujarat Lions.